The Secretary General of the former governing Unity Party Mohammed Ali was escorted to the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police by the leadership and stalwarts of the four opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) without any sign of arrest as was ordered by the police.
At about 10: AM the LNP HQ was politically charged when the CPP leadership and stalwarts and members converged on the Capitol Hill in solidarity with Mr. Mohammed Ali who was ordered arrested by the police for failing to honor an invitation for conversation in connection with a Facebook post which state security forces considered a threat to National Security.
Accompanying Mr. Ali were Chairperson and political leader of the collaboration – Liberty Party Political leader Senator Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence, former Vice President and Unity Party Political Leader Dr. Joseph Boakai, the All-Liberia Party Political leader Benoni Urey and the Alternative national Congress Alexander Cummings. Others including Liberty Chairman Musa Hassan Ability, Noah Zawu and a throng of other stalwarts who went with battle cries, amongst other displays.
Following almost an hour of indoor meeting with the police, Mr. Ali and entourage reemerged with jubilation of political battle cries greeting them. While at the meeting, Musa Bility who earlier came outdoor ruled out the possibility of effecting any arrest of Mr. Ali who was also at the station with his team of lawyers led by Cllr. Finley Karngar.
Mr. Bility contended that the UP secretary general did nothing wrong that would warrant his arrest, and added that he was invited for a conversation and not charged with any offense. He said Mo Ali was irregularly invited.
According to Mr. Bility, the Unity Secretary General was invited via a text message on the phone, which he pointed out was not correct and healthy of an established security institution to invite such a high profile political figure through that medium
Minutes later, the leadership of CPP, stalwarts and lawyers of Mr. Mo Ali came out amidst a politically charged and tense atmosphere where the CPP supporters and sympathizers carried Mr. Ali shoulder high from the entrance of the LNP Headquarters chanting “Mo-Ali, HERO! Mo-Ali, HERO! Mo-Ali, HERO”
Addressing journalists at the LNP HQ upon return from the meeting, CPP Chairperson, Senator Karngar Lawrence said the massive turnout of the CPP was in solidarity of one of their members that was invited to the station by the LNP leadership.
She said the discussion was held and that Mr. Ali has been released to them, the CPP and his lawyers so that he will return to the station on Thursday of this week.
The Police said they have invited Mr. Ali in connection to his Facebook posts threatening the National Elections Commission (NEC) and Justice Nagbe of the Supreme Court, at the aftermath of which the Justice’s residence was attacked with a petrol bomb and the NEC Headquarters in similar manner was attacked with a Petrol bomb.
The Unity Party Secretary General was therefore invited by the police to give clarity on what he meant by the posts.
Speaking after the meeting, Police Spokesman Moses Carter confirmed that Mr. Ali was released to his lawyers who wanted to meet with their client before the second meeting which is scheduled for Thursday. Mr. Carter alleged that Mr. Ali will have to be questioned on his Facebook posts during the second meeting.
All of the hullabaloo derived from the delay by the National Election Commission to certificate Lofa County Senator-elect Brownie J. Samukai – a candidate of the CPP in Lofa whose election was though challenged but confirmed by the Supreme Court of Liberia. He is yet to be certificated due to legal bottlenecks involving his conviction for misapplication of some money for the Armed Forces of Liberia while he served as Minister of Defense.